That reminds me of something funny that happened to me when I went to the local premiere of the third HP movie. I was a big fan back then and I wanted to see the movie as soon as I could. This, however, implied that it would be a translated version (the afternoon version played was for the kids, so dubbed in Dutch, and in the evening they would play the English version with subtitles). Anyway, for some reason I had never before seen a dubbed version of Harry Potter.

The first time I heard Hagrid speak in Dutch, he turned out to speak in an incredibly cute and funny West-Flemish accent. I couldn't help myself: I laughed out loud and literally doubled over in my chair, almost rolled out of it, it seriously struck me as THAT funny. It was fantastic.Cue all the little ones and their parents that were sitting around me staring at me dumbfounded: "what the heck is so funny? " Since the parents, not being HP fans but parents-of-little-fans, had been used to the dubbed versions ever since the first movie. And I was the only one laughing - I had gone to the movie all by myself because my husband was still at work (it was a Wednesday afternoon and as a primary school teacher I was off school in the Wednesday afternoon). My husband then, later that night, ALL night, was subjected to my imitation of West-Flemish Hagrid.

I saw Volcano, which takes place in Southern California, in Chicago with two other native Californians. We were cracking up at a lot of the inside jokes that no one else in the theater got.

OP here. The showing we went to was the first of the day, and I was expecting there to be a lot of kids, but I really think the adults outweighed the kids. The adults certainly outweighed the kids in terms of unacceptable behaviour! The mobile phone people were probably in their early 20s, certainly not young teens.

Come to think of it, it's generally the adults who are the worst behaved rather than the kids whenever I've encountered a theatre problem, although there have been a few notable exceptions.

Unfortunately the nearest non chain cinema is at least an hour away. There used to be a lot of them around but they were all torn down in the name of "progress" Also, we live in a newish area so when the new shopping centres are put in, they add these huge mega plexes as well.

I'll just stick to my original plan from now on of hiring a DVD from the video shop, or buying it outright at the shops.

I'll just stick to my original plan from now on of hiring a DVD from the video shop, or buying it outright at the shops.

Me too. It's cheaper, you can buy or make the snacks that you want rather than the ones that the theater wants you to buy, no one complains about what you are eating or flavors your popcorn with baby powder , and you can pause it when you need to go to the bathroom. All you miss is the really big screen. We go to about one movie per year. The last one was the new Star Trek.

Logged

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Common sense is not a gift, but a curse. Because thenyou have to deal with all the people who don't have it. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

My last movie theater experience was the most recent Harry Potter movie that came out. From now on, DH and I will go to the absolute latest movie available. One kid ran left and right through the seats of the packed theater. He'd go see his friend, then head to his parents. The 3rd time I had to move my legs I asked him to stop. He proceeded to give me a one figured salute. He ran to his parents. Our entire row cheered when the ushers came to remove them. I felt bad for the 2 other kids that were with them, but cripes.

I do get annoyed when someone keeps opening their cell phone to text. The light is so bright in the dark! I think they believe since it isn't making noise, it isn't disturbing anyone.

OP I totally know how you feel...it seems like every time I'm at a movie theater (which is pretty often) I see and hear a lot of rude behavior. Let's see, about two weeks ago DF and I went to see Toy Story 3 and the family next to us decided to eat everything at the concession stand which wasn't bad in itself, but you could hear them chewing and the constant rustling of the wrappers the food was in. Their toddler was extremely vocal throughout the movie which wasn't horrible considering its a kids movie, but they did nothing to quiet her and they ended up leaving all of their trash once the movie was done.

A week before that I went with a bunch of friends to see The Sorcerers Apprentice and a huge family came in just as the movie was beginning. This particular theater is older and doesn't have stadium seating and they decided to stand right in front of us as they decided who was going to sit where...as the movie was playing.

I am with you both; DH and I are huge MST3K fans. In fact, despite our general dislike of movie theaters other than little boutique movie houses, we went to a showing of Plan 9 with a new "riff" of it by the MST guys, at a big megaplex, and had a great time.

Maybe you can choose movies and theaters where the audience is almost part of the show. Aside from "Rocky Horror", I mean.

I remember 'back in the day' ... a badly-located theater that had given up trying to attract the general public ... Saturday night triple features from Hong Kong subtitled in English and two flavors of Chinese all at once ... steamed buns and squid jerky at the refreshment stand ... audiences about half Asian and half ghetto ... you never knew when someone would jump up, smack his fist into his hand and shout "kick that sucka! Yeah, smack him!"

A complete and immersive entertainment experience!

Half Asian and half "ghetto"? What exactly do you mean by "ghetto"? And this was an "entertainment experience"? Seriously?

I go to the movies quite often, and it's rare that there isn't some kind of distraction. It's usually either people bringing babies who cry, or people who text and use their cell phone.

I had a CRAZY movie experience a few weeks ago, and there were only about 20 people in it. A couple brought their young toddlers to see a very bloody, violent R rated movie, and when they would take them out, apparently, as little kids do, they were hitting the seats in the front section of the movie.

After the second time, this guy stood up, yelled at them, was saying the F word, etc. It was ridiculous. I also thought the guy sitting right behind us had smuggled a dog in, but I think he just had some sort of wheezing issue.

We saw Inception last weekend, and I realized after the movie that it was the greatest audience I had ever been in. It wasn't until after that I realized there wasn't a single distraction. No talking, no crying baby, no cell phone, nothing. It was great.

We saw Inception last weekend, and I realized after the movie that it was the greatest audience I had ever been in. It wasn't until after that I realized there wasn't a single distraction. No talking, no crying baby, no cell phone, nothing. It was great.

It has been my experience that the more the movie draws you in and makes you think, the quieter the audience.

Back when Thunderheart (with Val Kilmer) came out my friend and I went to see it at the cheap seats. There were about 10 of us in a tiny little theater and the acoustics were such, at least where we were sitting, that you could plainly hear all the crinklings and crunchings and slurpings.

Then the movie started and as we watched all the sounds just stopped. Even the boyfriend and girlfriend busy whispering sweet nothings to each other. Everyone was too busy watching.

Years ago, DH and I got a sitter and went to the movies with a friend. I can't remember what movie it was, but I do remember that both DH and I got really irked with our friend during the movie.

Friend explained that he had to leave his phone on because his wife would flip out on him if she couldn't reach him for anything. And yes, she knew we were going to a movie. DH and I thought, "Ok, fine, whatever, as long as he has it on vibrate (he did) and leaves the theater if she calls him."

Well...he didn't leave the theater. Both times. Wife calls and he talks to her in the theater, leans over to DH and I and says "Hey, what do you guys wanna do for dinner?" We shook our heads and mouthed "Later", as in we weren't going to discuss dinner options right then. He hung up, then five minutes later she calls again and he leans over and says "Amy REALLY wants to know NOW what we're doing for dinner!" We shake our heads and mouth "Not NOW, hang up!" He doesn't hang up, but at least gets up and heads to the exit.

When we get back to their house (he rode with us), we asked Amy what was so important that she couldn't wait for us to get out of the movie to figure out dinner. (it was like, 3pm) She says "I just wanted to know!"

Logged

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars. You have a right to be here. Be cheerful, strive to be happy. -Desiderata

DF and I try to go to the matinee showing after the movie has been out for 2 weeks. That tends to cut down on bad experiences, because there are fewer people in the theater and those who are there tend to be quiet.

When we went to see the matinee showing of Corpse Bride, it was us and one other couple in the theater. It was like movie heaven.

My family goes to movies all the time and it definitely is a gamble. Even if you go to the latest movie possible, you can't ensure there will be no misbehaving kids. I always feel bad for the kids who are fussy because they want to go to bed and the parents just shush them.

Logged

'I shall sit here quietly by the fire for a bit, and perhaps go out later for a sniff of air. Mind your Ps and Qs, and don't forget that you are supposed to be escaping in secret, and are still on the high-road and not very far from the Shire!' -FOTR

My family goes to movies all the time and it definitely is a gamble. Even if you go to the latest movie possible, you can't ensure there will be no misbehaving kids. I always feel bad for the kids who are fussy because they want to go to bed and the parents just shush them.

Yeah..I've seen babies and toddlers in midnight showings of horror movies. That's what I really don't get..so you have cranky, terrified children who scream during the entire movie.